The structure of soft tissues is often destroyed by injury and aging. Injectable fillers eliminate the need for surgery and enhance repair. Hyaluronic acid-based hydrogels are commonly employed for their effectiveness and biocompatibility. However, hyaluronidase breaks them down quickly. Lubcan, a naturally sourced microbial extracellular polysaccharide, has demonstrated significant water absorption and retention capabilities, as well as lubricating properties comparable to those of hyaluronic acid. In this study, a novel injectable and implantable hydrogel was created from lubcan by adding polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ether as a cross-linking agent. Lubcan hydrogels exhibit exceptional thermal stability, favorable swelling behavior, in vitro degradation, compressive strength, injectability, and rheological properties, all while preserving the integrity of their three-dimensional porous structure. In vitro tests indicated that the lubcan hydrogel was non-cytotoxic, did not adhere to blood cells, and exhibited good hemocompatibility. Compared to the subcutaneous injection of commercially available hyaluronic acid hydrogels, lubcan hydrogels demonstrated superior integrity, persistence, and a softer texture in Balb/c mice after 16 weeks. At the same time, lubcan hydrogel is non-toxic to organs, does not affect blood biochemical test values, and is non-immunogenic in mice. These findings suggest that lubcan hydrogel may be a promising new superficial soft tissue filler.
Keywords: Hydrogels; Lubcan; Soft tissue filling.
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